Fundación Migres

What Fundación Migres does

Fundación Migres is a private non-profit scientific and cultural foundation headquartered in Seville and Tarifa, Andalusia, Spain, founded in 2003 to advance biodiversity conservation and bird migration research. Operating at the Strait of Gibraltar — one of Europe's most important bird migration corridors — the foundation runs the Migres Programme for long-term monitoring of soaring birds (since 1997), seabirds (since 2001), and passerines, with annual passages exceeding 400,000 soaring birds and 750,000 seabirds. Its primary beneficiaries include the scientific research community, conservation professionals and students, citizen scientists and volunteers (more than 2,000 historically), and corporate partners in the energy and mining sectors.

The foundation's core technology and data assets center on the MIGdata web application, which provides free public access to 20 years of bird observation data, accompanied by high-resolution monthly climate maps of the Gibraltar Strait and statistical spatial interpolation models for protected natural areas. Physical infrastructure includes the Centro Internacional de la Migración de las Aves (CIMA) at Punta Camorro in Tarifa (housing offices, course facilities, library, and the Observatory of the Strait) and a biological station at the Barbate reservoir. The foundation also runs species reintroduction programs for the Osprey (releasing nearly 200 chicks between 2002 and 2012) and the Spanish Imperial Eagle, and provides environmental consulting services for wind farms, power lines, and sustainable mining operations. It publishes the peer-reviewed scientific journal Revista Migres (ISSN 1889-7134) and has organized the First and Second Congress on Bird Migration and Climate Change.

The foundation's business model relies on diversified non-commercial revenue streams: voluntary donations via PayPal and bank transfer, fees from training courses spanning primary to postgraduate levels, revenue from organized birdwatching and nature tourism activities in the Gibraltar area, and project grants from public agencies (Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica, Fundación Biodiversidad, Junta de Andalucía) and corporate partners (Endesa, Cobre las Cruces, Magtel, the Wind Association of Tarifa). It functions as a community-led citizen science organization combined with event-driven educational programs and project-based consulting services for enterprise clients in renewable energy and mining.

Name

Fundación Migres

Legal name

Fundación Migres

Website

https://fundacionmigres.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fundación Migres is a Spanish non-profit foundation founded in 2003, conducting long-term bird migration monitoring and conservation research at the Strait of Gibraltar. It serves scientists, conservation professionals, citizen volunteers, and corporate energy/mining partners through its MIGdata platform, CIMA research center, and field programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Research Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity, Conservation & Natural Capital Funds (FSANAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Inspection, Monitoring & Maintenance Programs (Audits, Compliance, Recertification) (HSAMAGAN)

Keywords

• Bird migration monitoring
• Wildlife conservation research
• Environmental impact assessment
• Species reintroduction programs
• Citizen science monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Seville

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Accepts donations from individuals who share values and principles to protect and conserve the environment. Donations can be made via PayPal or bank transfer (LA CAIXA: ES80 2100 7822 1023 0007 4873).
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of Migres merchandise including t-shirts. Orders placed through website with payment by bank transfer.
3. Training Courses: Revenue from courses offered to complement academic training in wildlife monitoring, species identification, and environmental impact assessment. Courses available for students from primary school to postgraduate level.
4. Environmental Activities and Tours: Revenue from organized birdwatching and nature activities in the Gibraltar area, including guided tours, scientific ringing stations, and educational visits to nature reserves.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fundación Migres is a non-profit foundation that conducts long-term bird migration monitoring (soaring birds, seabirds, passerines) at the Strait of Gibraltar and delivers applied conservation research, species reintroduction (Osprey, Spanish Imperial Eagle), environmental impact consulting for wind farms/power lines/mining, training courses, citizen science volunteer programs, and educational activities. Its core scientific platforms are the Migres Programme and the MIGdata multidisciplinary database providing free open access to 20+ years of bird and climate observations.

Product overview

Fundación Migres operates a platform of interconnected conservation and research products centered on bird migration monitoring at the Strait of Gibraltar. The core offerings include the Migres Programme (long-term bird migration monitoring since 1997), the MIGdata web application (multidisciplinary database with 20 years of bird observation data), and the International Bird Migration and Global Change Center (CIMA) in Tarifa featuring the Observatory of the Strait. Supporting products include species reintroduction programs (Osprey and Spanish Imperial Eagle), environmental consulting services for wind farms, power lines, and sustainable mining, training courses, birdwatching activities, the scientific journal Revista Migres, and educational materials. The organization functions as a private non-profit foundation focused on applied research, biodiversity conservation, and environmental education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Migres Programme: Long-term monitoring program of bird migration through the Strait of Gibraltar based on standardized constant effort protocols.
• CIMA
• Migres Foundation

Products and services

• MIGdata Application Multidisciplinary database web application providing free open access to 20+ years of bird observation data and climate data for the Strait of Gibraltar, intended for the scientific community to study climate change effects on fauna migrations.
• Migres Programme — Bird Migration Monitoring Long-term standardized monitoring of bird migration through the Strait of Gibraltar covering soaring birds (since 1997), seabirds (since 2001), and passerines using constant-effort protocols and daily counts from fixed observatories.
• CIMA — International Bird Migration and Global Change Center Research and dissemination infrastructure at Punta Camorro (Tarifa) studying the relationship between global change and bird migration; includes the Observatory of the Strait, library, and facilities for scientists and students.
• Observatory of the Strait — Exhibition and Visitor Center Bird-watching point and interpretation center featuring an exhibition on 'Migration and Global Change' for disseminating biodiversity decline, with educational and scientific workshops for children and adults.
• Training Courses in Wildlife Monitoring Training programs in wildlife monitoring techniques, species identification, infrastructure impact assessment, and environmental information analysis, for students from primary school through postgraduate level and conservation professionals.
• Birdwatching Activities and Nature Tours Guided migration observation tours, seabird watching, scientific ringing stations, and nature reserve visits in the Gibraltar area for individuals and small groups.
• Osprey Reintroduction Program Species reintroduction initiative for the Osprey in Andalusia; nearly 200 chicks from Finland, Scotland, and Germany released in Cádiz and Huelva (2002-2012), establishing a growing breeding population.
• Spanish Imperial Eagle Reintroduction Program Program to reinforce the Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) population in the La Janda region of Cádiz, addressing species fragmentation and preventing probable extinction predicted for the next 200 years.
• Wind Farm Compensatory Measures and Avian Impact Assessment Environmental impact mitigation services for wind farms including bird mortality reduction research, population effect estimation, recovery plans for affected species, and environmental education programs in the La Janda corridor.
• Power Line Impact Mitigation Consulting Consulting services to minimize bird electrocution and collision impacts from electrical infrastructure, developing solutions to reduce mortality and incidents affecting avifauna.
• Sustainable Mining Consulting Environmental management consulting for mining operations covering water quality, land restoration, air emissions, and biodiversity impacts, with special focus on avifauna; conducted with Cobre las Cruces mine.
• Revista Migres — Scientific Journal Annual peer-reviewed scientific journal (ISSN 1889-7134) publishing original ecology papers focused on the Strait of Gibraltar region, including articles, short notes, and forum discussions.
• Educational and Didactic Materials Educational resources including notebooks on common swift and Osprey, migratory bird sheets, field notebooks, teaching units, and materials on natural parks and rural women — distributed to schools and educators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reintroduction of 200 Osprey chicks between 2002-2012, establishing a growing breeding population in Andalusia
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CSIC - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Doñana Biological Station for Spanish Imperial Eagle and Osprey reintroduction programs. CSIC hosts the foundation's Seville headquarters at Casa de la Ciencia museum, with a collaboration agreement for scientific dissemination activities.
• Diputación de CádizcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member providing institutional support for conservation initiatives in the Cádiz province.
• Junta de AndalucíacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional government representation in Campo de Gibraltar; co-sponsor of Osprey and Spanish Imperial Eagle reintroduction programs; partner in EDUCAVES environmental education program.
• University of SevillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member and collaborative research partner; provides academic expertise in ornithology and ecology.
• University of CádizcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member and collaborative research partner; supports migration studies in the Cádiz region.
• Fundación BiodiversidadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor supporter of the Migdata project and climate mapping initiative, funded by the Ministry for Ecological Transition. Provides project support for climate change and migration research.
• Wind Association of Tarifa (AET)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member; collaborates on Compensatory Measures Project for wind farms of La Janda since 2003, implementing research, conservation, and environmental education measures.
• EndesaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing funding for light pollution impact evaluation studies in the Gibraltar area during 2012-2014.
• MagtelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member representing energy sector interests; partner in sustainable development initiatives.
• Cobre las CrucesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMining company partnered for sustainable mining research, identifying and solving environmental problems associated with water, earth movements, restorations, air emissions, and biodiversity impacts (especially birds).
• Hawk Mountain SanctuaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational conservation partner; Dr. Keith L. Bildstein serves on the Scientific Committee.
• Instituto de Estudios CeutíesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of study on Balearic and Cinderella shearwaters breeding in the Mediterranean, investigating environmental factors modulating migratory behavior.
• Inglorious BustardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBirding and wildlife tours partner listed among collaborators.
• Birding the StraitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBirding tourism partner for the Gibraltar Strait region.
• Andalucian GuidesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for guided nature tours and activities in the Campo de Gibraltar region.
• ECOTONOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBirding partner listed among collaborators.
• Nyala ToursminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism partner listed among collaborators.
• Birding DoñanaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBirding tourism partner listed among collaborators.
• Janda LitoralminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner for 'Parques Naturales y Mujeres Rurales' educational project.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: Long-running raptor research and conservation organization (Pennsylvania, USA) with which Fundación Migres has an active research partnership (Dr. Keith Bildstein serves on the Scientific Committee); comparable in raptor migration monitoring, training programs and science-based sanctuary management.
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Operates eBird, the world's largest citizen-science bird-observation platform with millions of contributors; a parallel to MIGdata in providing open-access bird data, and a comparable peer for combining research, citizen science and conservation training at scale.
• British Trust for Ornithology (BTO): UK-based charity running standardized long-term bird monitoring schemes (ringing, Nest Record Scheme, breeding bird surveys) staffed by large volunteer networks; directly comparable to Fundación Migres' standardized, volunteer-driven monitoring model and data-publication approach.
• SEO/BirdLife: Spain's national bird conservation society and BirdLife International partner; runs long-term monitoring, species recovery, environmental advocacy and citizen-science programs across Spain, making it the most direct national peer to Fundación Migres in mission, methods and constituency.
• Vogelwarte Helgoland (Heligoland Bird Observatory): Historic German bird observatory at another key European migration bottleneck running standardized long-term counts and ringing; directly comparable to Fundación Migres' Strait of Gibraltar monitoring infrastructure, protocols and century-long time-series approach.

Others

• BirdLife International: Global umbrella organization coordinating national BirdLife partners (including SEO/BirdLife) on conservation policy, IUCN Red List assessments and Important Bird Area designation; relevant to Fundación Migres through its BirdLife partner network and shared conservation-policy goals.

Broad incumbents

• National Audubon Society: Major US bird conservation organization running the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, sanctuary network, policy work and conservation science; comparable to Fundación Migres in citizen-science bird monitoring and conservation mission, but far larger and more diversified in scope.
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB): The UK's largest bird conservation charity with ~1.2M members, vast reserves, retail operations and policy advocacy; overlaps with Fundación Migres on bird conservation, education and policy but operates at a much larger scale and broader scope than Migres' focused migration research.

Emerging players

• BioConsult SH: Germany-based consultancy specializing in bird and bat surveys, environmental impact assessments for wind energy, and protected-species monitoring; comparable to Fundación Migres' wind-farm and infrastructure consulting services and a potential commercial competitor for European EIA contracts.
• Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA): Norwegian research institute conducting applied research on wildlife–wind-power interactions, raptor population modeling and biodiversity impact assessments; an emerging adjacent peer sharing Fundación Migres' wind-farm EIA and raptor-conservation consulting niche, with growing relevance to the European offshore-wind build-out.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/amigospescadora
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundaci%C3%B3n-migres

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fundación Migres